Reform Report

Tony Devenish: Following the report from Reform, what steps are you taking to drive innovation and long-term growth in the life sciences sector in London?

The Mayor: Reform’s report rightly highlights the need to build on the reputation of the UK life sciences sector, which includes around London, the world’s third largest life sciences cluster.
I have long recognised the importance of the sector to London’s future health and wealth, including it as one of seven key sectors in my 2018 Economic Development Strategy. It will also be included in my forthcoming Local Industrial Strategy. I drive innovation and growth through co-funding MedCity, which works with industry, academia and the NHS - including London’s Academic Health Science Networks, which are responsible for the adoption and spread of innovation. Last April, I officially opened Imperial College London’s fantastic new research hub at White City. London is the world’s leading city for scientific research and development, and our capital is open to innovation and talent.

Civic Innovation Challenge

Fiona Twycross: Please provide an update on the Civic Innovation Challenge Fund (for example how many organisations applied for funding and how many have been shortlisted for support).

The Mayor: On 12 March I announced the eight successful tech start-ups in this round of my Civic Innovation Challenge, in the areas of countering violent extremism online, democratising planning and tackling the impact of freight delivery on London’s road network. The winners were selected from more 125 entrants. Two of the winners, for the democratising planning and countering violent extremism online challenges, have been awarded a contract worth £40,000 and will access crucial support from City Hall and the Metropolitan Police Service to deliver a pilot and validate their solutions. A further six companies have been selected to work with Transport for London to tackle road congestion caused by freight deliveries, with each winning £20,000 to test and trial their ideas.
Planning for next year’s Civic Innovation Challenge is already underway, with the aim of scaling the programme and involving Londoners in the process.

Expanding the reach of the Good Work Standard (2)

Onkar Sahota: What sectors are priorities for your officers to engage in the Good Work Standard and what actions are being taken to support this?

The Mayor: The Good Work Standard has been designed for all organisations regardless of their size and sector. A large number of London’s leading institutions – London boroughs, universities, sports clubs, museums and galleries – have signed up to the Good Work Standard, and officers in my Economic Fairness team engage with businesses across all sectors of London’s economy.
We are also working closely with SMEs who make up 45 per cent of accredited organisations to date. Using our free to access resources, we are helping organisations across London to meet the benchmark in areas such as fair pay, flexible working and diversity and recruitment.

Expanding the reach of the Good Work Standard (3)

Onkar Sahota: What efforts have your officers made to get trade unions to include the Good Work Standard in their negotiating priorities at an employer and sectoral / regional level?

The Mayor: Last year I was proud to have launched the Good Work Standard with the support of union colleagues. TUC and Unison and themselves have become accredited employers and other unions have started the process.
I am aware of examples of where unions have used the Good Work Standard as the benchmark they would like to see employers achieve, for example in Canary Wharf. I think this is a great approach and something I’d like to see more of.

Kings College London 2030 and Beyond

Tony Devenish: What recommendations from the comprehensive March 2018 Kings College London report "London 2030 and beyond" have you taken forward and how?

The Mayor: In my Skills for Londoners Strategy, I set out my vision for skills provision. I have taken this forward through the delegated Adult Education Budget and improving provision by drawing on results from the Skills for Londoners Framework consultation. Alongside the Adult Education Budget, I have invested in a number of major skills programmes. These include the Mayor’s Construction Academy, which equips Londoners with the skills they need to work in construction and my Apprenticeships for Londoners programme will generate over 1000 new apprenticeship opportunities. I am also calling for further skills devolution, as set out in myCall for Actionlast September.The London Health Care Vision launched last year supports integrated health provision and promotion in London. Partners include Public Health England, NHS England and London Councils. The report’s recommendation for a strategic body with more authority over healthcare provision in London would require government support.

Consultation with Businesses over UK negotiating position with the European Union

Leonie Cooper: The UK’s negotiating mandate with the European Union, released on the 27th February 2020, states that ‘the Government intends to invite contributions about the economic implications of the future relationship from a wide range of stakeholders via a public consultation’. How will you ensure the voices of London’s businesses are heard during this consultation?

The Mayor: We await more details of the Government’s plans for consultation. However, I note that the Government says this will start in “Spring”, which may coincide with the Mayoral election period from 23 March to 7 May 2020. Where possible and permitted by the GLA Use of Resources Policy we will work with London’s business groups to ensure their voices are heard. My officers will seek advice from the Monitoring Officer on what actions the Greater London Authority may take during this period to support the Government’s consultation.

Associate Citizenship for Londoners

Fiona Twycross: What would it mean for Londoners if the United Kingdom and European Union were able to agree on a form of associative citizenship?

The Mayor: Brexit means that millions of Londoners and British nationals have lost their EU Citizenship – something they never wanted or voted for. “Associate Citizenship” would give those British nationals who wanted it, a way to keep the same rights they have enjoyed up until now as EU Citizens, especially the right to move and reside freely between different EU member states.
Last month I met senior EU politicians in Brussels and called for the UK and EU to agree a form of ‘Associate Citizenship’ as part of their talks about the future relationship. While the EU is open to exploring ideas like this, it remains unachievable with the Prime Minister’s current “red lines”. However, if this were to change in the future, it is clear there would be wide support for “Associate Citizenship” from many Londoners and British nationals who are devastated they have lost their rights as EU Citizens.

London Living Wage

Leonie Cooper: How many employers in London are London Living Wage accredited?

The Mayor: I’m proud that during my time as Mayor, the number of accredited Living Wage employers in London has more than doubled, to 1,880.
It has been great recently to celebrate key London employers like Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, University of London, Crystal Palace FC and Tideway joining the movement. Their participation is another stepping stone for our ambitions to make London a fairer city.

High Streets in Havering and Redbridge (2)

Keith Prince: Have you or your senior team had any engagement with businesses in Havering and Redbridge to discuss concerns about the high street and business rate reform? If so, what were the outcomes of these discussions?

The Mayor: As part of my wider approach to support Town centres and high streets across London I have strongly lobbied central government to give London more control over business rates to better support our high street businesses. This will help places like Redbridge and Havering as shopping habits change and more people shop online.
Following the 2017 revaluation I increased the rateable value threshold for paying the Crossrail business rate supplement to £70,000. This reduced the number of firms paying by over 20% in Havering (around 165 fewer) and by a quarter in Redbridge (around 130 fewer). Havering and Redbridge will have 7 Crossrail stations.
Alongside London Councils and the capital’s business community, I successfully lobbied Government to slow the increases in bills they were planning. These changes have helped to save London businesses around £100 million over the last 3 years, but the Government needs to offer a better solution for the long-term.
I have called for a wholesale transfer of fiscal responsibilities (as recommended by the London Finance Commission), including the full devolution of business rates to London including control of the valuation and tax setting process. I would encourage the Government to consider making these and wider reforms as part of its current fundamental review of business rates which is due to conclude later this year.

Business Partnerships

Susan Hall: What are the total number of businesses you partner with and of these, how many are female-led (CEO) and BAME led?

The Mayor: My work with businesses covers a range of initiatives and different types of partnerships where I have engaged with and supported thousands of businesses. I have established a range of mechanisms to ensure City Hall is learning from business through bodies such as my Business Advisory Board, the London Economic Action Partnership and the London Business Board. This work will continue and is expanding rapidly as we develop partnerships and programmes to help businesses survive the Coronavirus epidemic.
It is a priority for me to reach entrepreneurs that face particular barriers to starting and succeeding in business.This has included roundtables with under-represented groups, an annual entrepreneurs’ summit and establishing relationships with a wide range of BAME and women entrepreneur networks.
I am proud that programmes like my London Co-Investment Fund is investing in women and BAME owned businesses, with 22 per cent of my investments being in women-owned businesses and 20 per cent BAME owned. These levels are unprecedented in investment finance in the UK.
I am also supporting programmes like ‘Start-Up Step Up’ which provides participants from under-represented groups with tailored support to encourage the development of an entrepreneurial mind-set. The project supports SMEs to identify gaps and increase the skills levels of employees, to encourage progression in employment and business growth. This is an approach that I am supporting at City Hall too through the ‘Our Time – Future Leaders’ programme, a talent development programme for women.